Welcome, everyone, to Midday Magazine for this February 20th, 2024.
Have your host, James J. mail-off here.
We're welcoming in our great friends from the ODC.
Now we have Anne Lepec with us and good to see you as always.
Nice to see you.
Thanks a lot for the time.
I always appreciate you joining us, Anne, and the work you do.
And you brought a friend in with you.
We have Ashley with us.
I did.
I did.
So Ashley Nichol is new to our public relations team.
She's our communication specialist.
So you may be hearing about her from her more in the future.
Excellent.
Oh, looking forward to that, Ashley.
And I want to start off on a really fun note, Ashley.
If you don't mind, I understand that you're
celebrating a work anniversary.
Yeah.
It's Anne recently celebrated her 30-second anniversary
or 30-second year here at the ODC.
Ah, yeah, yeah.
Anne, that is amazing.
Thank you.
That's three decades ahead.
That's a long time.
That's a long time.
But I love it.
Yeah.
That's why I'm here.
If you don't mind, I do.
I would like to take a second on that if you don't mind, Anne,
because as you and I have discussed,
and many of our friends from the ODC have discussed,
the ODC is always looking for good volunteers and good people.
And you know, there are high rings from time to time.
We are always looking for good people in this workforce, in this field.
Yeah.
So when it comes to something like this,
and did you start out coming out of school
wanting to be in this field,
did you think about doing something like this?
You know, I didn't really know.
I knew that I was in the social work field.
I knew I wanted to work with people and help people.
But I didn't really know where I would land.
And so I literally graduated in December,
and I started at ODC in January of the very next year.
And if you had told me out of Ben here 32 years,
I would have never believed it.
So, but it's been great.
So if an ODC is such an organized, great organization
that gives people opportunities to learn and to grow
and to do new things.
And so there really is, it's a great organization.
So, as a side note,
I haven't heard a whole lot of stories like that.
PAMs, our own PAM here is a little similar to that.
She graduated and came right to work here,
and she's been there ever since.
Yeah, well, that's unheard of these days, right?
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, I did a couple other little jobs
while I was in high school in college.
But, you know, to go to a job at my age
and stay there for 30 plus years, that's, yeah.
And, you know, we've talked to others,
Pam Ross and some other people at the ODC
that have been there for a long time,
and the reasons why they are,
and so much of it comes back to the people.
I think that it's noteworthy that there are opportunities
at ODC that there is good pay, that there are good hours,
all these things, et cetera, et cetera,
that you would hope to expect that most jobs,
and you certainly have that at ODC.
But I think we always come back to the people
and the clientele that's so key to why so many people
want to work at ODC and why people stay there at the ODC.
Yeah, exactly.
It is all about the people,
and it's about what we do,
and supporting people to live better lives.
Yeah, and being able to bring attention to
not only the clientele and to this community
that is in our community,
but also bringing awareness to things like next month.
Next month is, for those that don't know,
March is Development Disability Awareness Month.
Can we talk about how we're celebrating
that at the ODC a little bit?
Yeah, so March is Development Disability Awareness Month,
and what we've been doing the last couple of years
is our very own ink splash
is creating some disability awareness t-shirts.
I actually have one on from a previous year.
It's a great trip.
Yeah, so if people are interested in helping us
to support ink splash and also help support
developmental disability awareness month,
people can go on our ink splash website,
and they can find the shirts that we are ordering
or have available for order to wear next month.
Mm-hmm. When it comes to like,
these like kind of different months
that highlight different things,
it gives an opportunity for people in those communities,
and part of those causes to really shine a light on that.
When it comes to something like this with disabilities,
while we want to shine a light on everything,
I do want to remind people
that this is an everyday thing,
that this is something that we as a community
can certainly pay attention to and care about every day,
because it is certainly something that,
to the clientele, they don't have a day off from this.
Right. There is no,
every day is an awareness day for them,
and I think that that empathy is important in our community
to create, to show that more.
Absolutely, absolutely.
Are there, is there other ways or is there anything else
you wanted to touch about as far as on the month,
or we'll probably hit it pretty hard
next month when we're in March?
Yeah, we'll hit it in March,
and then we'll also talk more about April
is autism awareness month.
Excellent, excellent.
Very cool.
And if you don't mind,
maybe we touch on some events coming up,
because you guys have got a very busy couple of months here,
you got a lot going on.
I hate to, I said that like you didn't know,
I'm sorry.
Like, Anne, did you know you got a lot going on?
No, we had no idea we had all this stuff going on.
I apologize.
So let's start with for Hope Golf Benefit.
One of our favorite events coming up,
we love this event.
You guys have a handful of ones
that are really special to this community.
This one in particular.
Yeah, yeah.
So our for Hope Golf Benefit,
this will be our third year.
It is going to be on May 31st.
It's a Friday this year, which will be great.
It's held at San Valley.
It's a great little course.
We are just seeking sponsorships.
We have a few left, but we've had a lot of great sponsors
already step up to help support the event.
And everything that we do in this event,
all of the money raised,
goes to support our mental health clinics
and our mental health services.
So I really wanted to just share that information.
Everything is on our website.
So there's information about the event.
There's the opportunity to sign up to be a sponsor
or to sign up to join.
There are some really great prizes.
Wheelers is actually that we're going to have a whole
in one event this year.
And wheelers is sponsoring a Chevy Equinox.
So there'll be a chance to win a vehicle.
Yeah.
Shout out to wheelers whenever they're involved in things.
They go all in.
They really do.
Like a big shout out to them.
You see them a part of all kinds of events
and really do appreciate that.
Yeah, yeah.
And you know, we are just so thankful
for all of our sponsors.
Yeah.
Yeah, can we mention some of those sponsors?
Yeah, some of them are Solaris,
exact sciences, got chalk, cranberry, 1901, and titos,
and all the proceeds benefit our mental health clinic
opportunity and our hope.
So it's a super great cause.
It really is.
We've talked so much about mental health
over the last five to six years.
And I think that as a society,
we've gotten to a very good place with that where now
we talk about these things in a normal voice,
not a hushed voice anymore.
And I really appreciate and respect that in society.
But I also think that this also now is where
the real work needs to be done.
Because now the sun that we've got the topic out there,
now a lot of us, including myself,
now starting to have to eat our own medicine
and starting to have to take and do some of the things
that we talked a good game about and everything.
And part of the extension of that is supporting causes
that support mental health.
And this is one of the big ones right here.
The ODC taking it on themselves to cover a topic like this
and to have these mental health clinics and everything,
I think is above and beyond.
And I am so thankful for it for our communities.
And the amount of people that can be benefited
from something like this.
Yeah, yeah, it's interesting.
Again, this is just one event that ODC puts on
to support the clinic.
We just have so many great supporters,
individuals, different foundations united way,
supporting our great work.
I just had a conversation this morning with United Way
of Southwood and Adams counties about their support
of our clinic and really how we want to be available
to everybody.
And so we just are so thankful.
And we couldn't do what we do without these events
and the sponsorships and just all of the support
that we receive from the community at large.
So we really appreciate that.
One of the things that we mantra around here
is buying local, supporting local.
I think our community has taken on that phrase quite a bit.
That goes to me to another degree too.
Because I personally, I spend my dollars with businesses
that spend their dollars and their time
and their effort with our community.
Those that put back into our community I put into.
And I'm not alone.
I know a lot of people in this community that are like that.
So when you see these businesses a part of these events,
we encourage you to use their services to support them.
They are supporting us.
And hopefully we get even more and more businesses
in the community that see this and like,
hey, I want to be a part of that.
Hey, I want to be on the right side of history.
Hey, I want to do that and get more and more involved.
Really greatly just to piggyback off of what you were saying
and greatly appreciate all of these organizations.
Always got room for more.
Absolutely, absolutely.
If people want to find out more, we encourage you
to go to odcinc.com, odcinc.com.
We'll give that address a couple of times
before we wrap up today.
The For Hope Golf Benefit coming up May 31st.
That's beautiful sand valley.
So you've got a little time here.
But don't take too much time.
If you're a business out there, be a part of this.
Get your name attached to this great event.
Yeah, but it's filling up quick.
It's filling up quick.
I can only imagine that.
The cash calendar raffle is also coming up.
Yeah, yeah.
So that'll be happening in the month of June.
And that's a really great way for other smaller businesses
that want to support odci.
We're really trying to get everybody involved
and know about odci.
And so cash calendar raffle, this will be our second year.
So it's held every business day during the month of June.
And the sponsors that are listed on our calendar
are providing the cash payout.
And so all of those logos are on our website
to help promote those businesses.
And then they're printed on all of the tickets.
And we'll be printing over about 3,000 calendar
raffle tickets.
So it's good advertising.
Our smallest sponsorship level is $125.
All the way up to 500.
So we are actually almost full.
We have just a few spots left.
So but it's also, again, we have information on our website.
But tickets will go on sale in April.
And so even if just the community at large
wants to support odc, tickets are going
to go on sale in April.
And again, very affordable.
One ticket is $10, $3 tickets for $20.
And so it's just a good way to help support
in even just a small way, right?
So our staff will be selling the tickets.
Our board members will be selling the tickets.
And then we'll have them available at our office as well.
So if you don't, somebody doesn't
hit you up to buy some tickets and you want some.
Yeah, come on by.
I just know, yeah.
Especially if you haven't been to the odc in a while,
I encourage everybody to come check it out.
Check out Dinks Blast.
Check out our great market.
I'm drawing them one.
Milkweed market.
How do they do that?
Milkweed market in front of me.
Milkweed market in some of the great things
that are going on over at the odc.
I want to touch on two real big things with this.
First, this area loves raffles.
Like raffles, I can go outside right now,
say I'm putting on a raffle, I'll get 20 people.
Like they would love raffles.
So that's a great one right there.
And to what end speaking of as far as your company logo
and getting it out there and having it be seen,
I've studied marketing, I've taken classes on marketing
and one of the biggest things
that any marketing teacher worth their salt will tell you is
all the money you put into radio, TV,
all these different advertisements,
nothing can compare to word of mouth.
And this is word of mouth.
These bingo cards are going to be in so many people's hands
and whether they're even registering it or not,
they're seeing that logo and they're seeing that
and it's going to be registered to them.
They're going to take this in.
This is an opportunity to be seen by people.
Maybe you don't get seen by all the time.
Businesses can get stuck in niches.
And this is an opportunity to be seen by people
that maybe you don't normally get that
to opportunity with.
And just as important as all of that,
one of the things that they will tell you
as well in marketing classes is how much people
care about causes and seeing a business that,
well, Solaris, oh, I didn't know that they were a part
of things that the ODC they cared about things over there.
That's really cool.
And whether they realize it or not,
it is registering in their brain,
that's a business I want to support too.
They're supporting something I care about.
It's, I want to support them.
It goes, there's so many layers to this as far as when you,
just that money that you spend on this,
I almost guarantee you, you're going to make that back twofold.
And I only say that because I can back it up.
I only say it because I've done the numbers on this stuff
and I understand what the ODC does
and how much of a reach they have,
not just here in Rapids, but in our county.
It's impressive.
And it's something that I think that if I was a business,
I'd want to be a part of.
What I also appreciate about the ODC doing this
is we've got a lot of great businesses out there
that aren't making them do some money.
But there's also mom and pop shops.
There's also places out there that maybe they can't afford
to sponsor a big thing or something.
But 125 bucks, you're going to spend that on advertising anyway,
probably.
So why not spend it not only with an organization
that you know you're putting into and doing good with,
but you're also spreading your name out there.
Like a few opportunities will give you.
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
And you know, the other piece of it is is that we sold
those raffle tickets.
Like we had somebody in Minnesota win,
we had somebody in Door County because our staff
are selling to family and friends
that don't live in the area.
And so again, you're also kind of not only spreading
the word about the business that support us,
but we're raising awareness for ODC.
And the beauty is they're all cash prizes.
Well, for $10 or $20, you have the opportunity
to win some cold, hard cash.
And who couldn't use that?
Does that mean you're right?
Right.
Yeah.
I was going to say the other fun thing that we do
is we also hold the raffles on Facebook live.
So you can see that the drawings held live
and the people that we support help us with drawing the tickets
and help us to be a part of it.
So it's really fun.
You guys have almost too much fun with that.
Like it looks like a blast.
I kind of want us to, we want to sponsor things anyway
with the ODC, but just if anything also to be a part of that,
that's a lot of fun.
I'm glad you mentioned that too, as you mentioned before,
that this could be, the tickets can be purchased
by people out of the county, out of state.
So the Facebook live thing enables them
if I'm in Minnesota, even I could watch that.
Absolutely.
It's smart.
That's a very fun event.
That is coming up again in June.
We'll be looking, we'll talk more and more about it
as we get closer to it.
But again, if you would like, if you're a business
and get on this, everybody,
because that raffle is filling up real quick.
Yep, it's filling up.
I think we only have a handful of spots left.
ODCINC.com, good place to start.
ODCINC.com.
I mentioned before how much we like the Four Hope Golf Benefit
and that's a fun one.
We got a lot of great events in this community.
I would say one of the top five events
that we have in this area is the Run, Walk, and Rock and Roll.
Like events like that one, it's a fun event.
I know so many people in different sections of the community
that are a part of this that I wouldn't have guessed
until seeing them actually being a part of it.
It's a really big fun event.
It is, it is.
And we've actually changed it up.
This will be our fourth year.
So it was Run, Walk, and Roll.
We changed it up and it is now Run, Walk, Rock, and Roll.
So good.
So good.
So it's going to be held in August 24th.
It's going to be out at Rooted and Red.
And so it's just going to be a great summer time event
kind of fun and open to the public, free and open to the public.
But we'll be doing our walk on the cranberry marsh
at about three o'clock.
They'll have some wagon rides out there as well.
We are encouraging, we are still having our T-shirts made.
Encouraging people to register for the Run, Walk, and Roll.
And join us for that.
But after that, then we are going to have two bands.
Yeah, yeah, two really good bands, really good bands.
Yeah, you got some gets right there.
Yeah, so the first band will be from four to six.
And that is the Antonets, which is featuring
our very own former president, Pam Ross.
So we're excited about that.
And then Southbound will be joining us from six to nine.
So it's just going to be, again, a great community event
really wanting to raise awareness and share ODC's story.
But also, again, opportunities for people to support ODC
whether businesses look to be sponsors, again,
or just people participating and showing up
would be really great, because we're going to have
some really great raffle baskets.
And also, we're going to have a wine liquor pool.
So all of those, again, anybody from the public
that comes out and has a great afternoon and evening
can participate in those.
And all of that will help, again, support ODC.
So really, really excited about this new event
and opportunities.
So it's not often that you could take an event
that is so well-known and great and improve on it.
And I feel like you've done that.
I know it hasn't happened yet,
but I really feel like you've done that with this.
I personally, if you would ask me last year
at the last run walk and roll, I'd be like,
oh, don't change the thing, it's great.
But I see this and I see these improvements.
I'm like, oh, okay, yeah, you sold me.
Yeah, this is a very cool idea.
And what a fun way to incorporate the way
that we've been doing it and into a fun way
where it's a little, I don't want to say condensed,
but it's a little kind of in this one area.
And it feels a little more focused.
Yeah, well, in a community event, right?
So I mean, our other run walk and roll
was a community event, but the reality was,
people registered and those are the people
that showed up to those events.
Well, now we're going to have that
and we're going to have some things
that are open to the public as well.
Smart.
Smart.
I feel like you guys at the ODC could teach a marketing glass.
You guys are really good at this.
I don't know if you realize that, but you really are.
But in part, you have to be.
This is a cause that needs the attention,
that needs the funds, that needs people to get behind it
when we're talking about the work that the ODC does.
So we encourage other businesses, other people out there,
especially if you haven't been a part of things
with the ODC before.
Find out what it's like.
This is a great event to attach yourself to.
This is a great event to be a part of.
So many fun things to do.
And one of the other parts of this that I find interesting
to about this event, how many different parts of the pockets
of the community you hit with something like this?
Yeah.
You bring in a wide variety of individuals, age-wise,
and all of that.
So again, if I'm a business, it's being attached
to something like this that I can maybe be seen and heard
from more and more people that I haven't before.
One of the things that I think is key to understand
when it comes to this stuff, anything like this.
It's not just the businesses and the sponsors
that are a part of this event.
We're also reaching out to sponsor and businesses
that are watching this event and seeing how it's going
and be like, well, that looks like a lot of fun.
I want to be a part of that.
So if you're not able to this year, look into next year
and look into other future events with the ODC,
there's always opportunities for businesses to sponsor
and be a part of things and help the great work
that they're doing at the ODC.
Yeah, absolutely.
As we're wrapping up here, guys,
is there anything else you wanted to touch on
that we didn't have a chance to?
We covered a lot today.
We sure did.
Ashley, was there anything you had
that you wanted to touch on or anything like that?
No, I just wanted to congratulate Ann again.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, good job.
There you go.
There you go.
There you go.
Yeah, that is pretty darn impressive.
Yeah.
And when it comes to, oh, we do want to remind people
certainly there are always great things going
on a milkweed market.
Any opportunity you have to purchase things over there,
you're putting right back into the ODC
and getting some really cool items,
some very unique items as well.
As my mother will tell you,
there are wonderful and there's nothing in the world
like them.
I have to buy all her gifts at milk and market now.
I created a monster like years ago
when I first did this.
So if you're like my mom out there,
that's a good business to go to
and ink splashes is always there for you as well.
Yeah, yeah.
Well, I was just going to say,
we also, you know,
we've talked a lot about painting with a purpose
and we have a class tomorrow and actually it's full.
Oh, awesome.
So people are registering ahead of time
and so the classes are,
it was full last month as well.
So we're excited that those are getting some traction
and yeah, it's great to hear.
We'll talk more and more about these events
as we get closer to them,
put them in our good stories of the day
and our morning shows and have our news team covering them.
But if people want to find out more or have more questions
and how can they get in touch with you?
Yeah, so they'll want to reach out to ODC.
They can call us at the main office number at 715-424-2712.
That's 715-424-2712.
Or check out our webpage at odcync.com.
Be sure to follow them on social media too.
It's a great way to keep up the day
and all the good things going on with our ODC.
Appreciate the time, appreciate so much
what you guys do for our community.
Say hi to the team over there for us
and we'll talk again real soon.
We'll do, sounds good.
Thank you both and thank you for being here, Ashley.
Appreciate the time. Thank you.
We will have more midday magazine for you tomorrow
right here at 975 FM 1320 AM, WFHR, locally grown radio.
